Little Boy Blue
by Silvenstien
Summary: "So this is what hell looks like..." The little boy in blue said in awe, his small form stood among the most brutal of murderers and contrasted greatly with the gory wasteland around him. "So this is home." -Male OC, no pairings as of yet
1. Chapter 1- The Little Boy in Blue

**Chapter 1- The Little Boy in Blue**

.

.

.

Life isn't fair.

That is what I learned from the moment I was born, told every single day by my ever so loving whore of a mother.

"Life isn't fair brat, so suck it up!" She snarled nastily, while pushing the glowing butt of her cigarette into the rapid growing canvass of what used to be my back. "Life doesn't care if you fall down and scrape your knee! Life doesn't care if you go bankrupt and forced into prostitution! It doesn't care if you get pregnant and fall into debt!" She screeched while clawing her red lacquered nails down her face, marring the artificial beauty that she had pasted on every day. Long red jagged lines grew on her cheekbones where she clawed at herself in frustration, little red beads of blood dripped onto the floor.

"Momma... I don't-!" My voice caught in my throat when the burning white stick of nicotine again made contact with my blistering skin. She twisted it relentlessly and ground it into my body, enjoying every scream and wail that I let loose.

"Gasp!... Momma... Please, it hurts...!" My three year old voice whimpered out through tears, she watched on blankly as I lost control of my bladder and wet the already dirty floor. She wrinkled her nose while grimacing in disgust, and picked me up by my arm, dangling me in the air and stretching my little body to its limits.

She stared at me with pure hatred, eyes accusing at me as if she couldn't believe such trash could have been created inside her. She briskly strode towards the towering redwood dresser that housed my very few belongings and screeched to a stop. The door was ripped open and I was thrown inside, the dusty smell of moth balls tickled my nose as I lay disoriented on top of hangers and clothes.

I looked up at her with misty eyes, tear tracks trailed down my face and I couldn't help the sobs that wracked my small form, nor the erratic hiccups that erupted in to the air. I clutched my stubby arms around myself and sat in my own filth as the woman who gave birth to me glared unrelentingly at my poor beaten body. With her chin thrust into the air, she stood with an air of royalty and utter dominance. Eyes roving over my features and hardening as she remembered the man who poisoned her with his spawn and what eventually grew to be me.

"_**I AM NOT YOUR MOTHER! You are that **_**devil's**_** child... disgusting disgusting child...!" **_

She hissed, slamming the heavy wooden door behind her and shoved an umbrella between the dresser handles to keep the pest from escaping. I merely sat there, listening to her insistent swearing and stomping, rustling of clothing was heard and the turning of keys. The familiar clang resounded through the otherwise silent room and I recognized it as the closing of the apartment door.

Then silence.

Momma had left.

I sat there, pants soiled, as I marinated in my own urine and blood. The burning holes in my back ached deeply, reaching to very core and shattered any love that was left for Momma.

I cried.

Cried for the mother I had lost, who I never really had in the first place...

Cried for the father I would never get to know, and the face that he gave me which damned my very existence...

Most of all, I cried for the life that was given to me, and all the hardships I knew were to come. Even at three years old, I knew when to face the facts and accept what was given to me.

As much as I hated to admit it, she was right.

Life wasn't fair.

It never is.

.

.

.

"Hello there... My name's Caleb, what's yours?" A man in a suit said questioningly as he smiled at the small 8 year old boy that stood in front of him. Dark oversized clothing hung from his thin frame and slipped over his shoulders when he moved. Every revealed patch of skin (hardly at all) that was exposed showcased a long array of scars, which crisscrossed his figure and created a horrific mosaic of art across the poor child's figure. Sleepy looking eyes lifted, revealing sharp obsidian orbs that seemed to know all that there was to know.

"Hello." The boy replied, voice scratchy from lack of use. The single word uttered seemed to take him great effort, as if it pained him physically to interact with others. His form was forcibly relaxed, yet you could see the tension that was wired into his body. The way he held himself and how he looked around warily reminded the man of a war veteran, a tightly wound soldier. The innocent round face contrasted greatly with the worn down beaten body that it was attached to. The cold indifferent eyes and the slight smile was a tightly bound facade.

The little boy in blue was just that, a little boy, yet his eyes were...

'_They say eyes are the window to the soul.'_

But that was just the thing... he saw no soul...

Such a thing was fascinating.

"Seyton..." the boy said, all the while appraising the adult with calculating eyes.

"...What?" Caleb was shook out of his thoughts and was surprised by the sudden outburst, and stared down at the boy in front of him.

"...Seyton, my name is Seyton." The boy repeated, while blinking up at Caleb with those large wolfish eyes, a hint of a playful smirk sparked on his lips.

Caleb stood dumbfounded at the boy-Seyton, until letting loose a chuckle. He split out into a grin and crouched down to look Seyton in those soulless eyes of his.

"Well Seyton, how would you like to come with me?" Caleb asked while holding out a large calloused hand, and watched as the little boy in blue stared at him.

Seyton looked backwards toward the run down orphanage that towered behind him, his home since his mother left. Five years he spent in that place, five long laborious years where he had to learn to tip toe around strangers and deal with the comings and goings of children who too, didn't have parents. Five years where he learned to be polite and eat his vegetables and his times tables without complaint. Where he learned to compliment and flatter those older than him, enough where he was liked, but not enough to be adopted.

He didn't want to go anywhere with those blank faced adults, they all smiled and patted his head and spoke of a new happy home. But as soon as they got sight of those marks on his body, well then everything changed. They spoke softer, smiled softer and asked questions posed ever so delicately that it was annoying. He was treated as if he was made of glass, and that didn't make sense to him at all! If he were made of glass then he would have broke a long time ago. They were all soft, rosy red cheeks and round big bellies. _They_ were the ones made of glass, not him. They didn't know pain.

No, but not this man, there was nothing soft about him. From the crisp black suit which was clearly custom made, to the hard rippling of the hidden muscles underneath. The wiry form wasn't lanky nor was it round, he was right in between. Sturdy and strong, his presence reminded Seyton of a large oak tree, solid and unwavering.

Seyton stared at the twinkling blue eyes Caleb bore, and watched as the man patiently held his hand out to the little boy. He wasn't treating him like the others, oh he saw the scars, Seyton watched how his eyes widened slightly at the exposed shoulder but the expression was quickly schooled.

The blond blue eyed man in front of him was no stranger to pain if the identical burn marks peeking out from under his sleeves were anything to go by.

He knew pain.

The man was smart, aesthetically appealing, and treated him like an adult.

He wasn't made of glass.

That made Seyton smile, twisted as it was.

Seyton smiled that smile of his and clasped Caleb's hand with his tiny one, feeling dwarfed in comparison, he shook his arm up in down and watched the grin on the blond man's face grow.

Caleb had watched the thoughts fly through the little boys head, and saw him weighing the pros and cons behind those coal eyes of his. When he reached out to seal the deal, he couldn't help but feel he was holding the hand of a devil. A baby one at that, but a devil no less.

It was simply exhilarating.

Caleb stood and pulled the boy behind him as they slowly made their way down the street where his car and bodyguards lay await. There was no papers signed, no interviews, and no panicking staff as Seyton was whisked away from the suffocating orphanage. His disappearance was one quickly forgotten and the matrons merely wrote it off as a "run away" and filed a note to the police. Unfortunately, they didn't have any photos of the boy and only gave a name and brief description.

Name: Seyton (No last name)

Gender: Male

Birthday: Unknown

Age: 8 years old (came when he was three years of age)

Appearance:

-dark red hair, edging on black

-black eyes

-4"2 in height

-wears long sleeves and pants to hide multiple scars, usually dark colours, usually blue

Notes: Seyton is polite and does well in school. He shows no sign of rebellion or aggression usually associated with abused children, and is comfortable around adults. The other children see him as a brother and he gets along with everybody except for a certain few who seem to dislike him very much. Overall, he is a good child who is expected to be adopted soon.

It was vague, and put on file in the police station. Slowly, but surely, people began to forget about Seyton with no last name. He became one of those children who came and went, and was merely reduced to a single sheet of paper buried away in some folder in a storage room.

No one would remember Seyton.

The little boy in blue with the soulless eyes.

.

.

.

**A/N- Well there you have it, the first chapter for "Little Boy Blue", I hope you guys liked it, I certainly do. If you did, then you might want to visit my profile and take a look at my other story "Rebel", its a little more lighthearted than this one is going to be and has alot of humour. Although I advise you to maybe skip the first couple of chapters if you think it's too slow since it was my first story and it's not that good... so yeah...**

**Thanks so much for reading and I'd love it if you could leave me a review!**

**See ya ^_^**


	2. Chapter 2- Glass Walls and Ice-Cream

**Chapter 2- Glass Walls and Ice-cream **

.

.

.

I used to think that I lived in a glass like house, one without a door. Yes, I could move around and run till my legs wore out, but only so far. I could jump and reach up with my tippy toes and try to touch the sky, but the crystalline barrier would always be there, blocking my way. I could try to pound and tackle the walls, but there would be no cracks, no escape. The glass walls caged me in and all I could do was stare at the world around me pass by.

It was sad, but I got used to it as I grew number by the days passed.

My world was so small... but now it was growing.

.

.

.

As I stared at the map in front of me and listened to Caleb chatter endlessly about all the places he's been and the people he's met, I realized the world was a lot bigger than I had thought.

My own world consisted of school and the orphanage, the other kids and the occasional visitor who hovered and then quickly went away. But Caleb's world went _everywhere_.

France, Belgium, China, Italy, Egypt, you name it! Every nation held a "network" or so he claimed, and he was part of every single one of them. I could only blink in surprise, every single one? Surely he's lying. But no, he said that he was friends with many "higher ups" in different parts of the world and that I shouldn't worry my little head over it, while ruffling my dark crimson hair.

Like a father would to his son.

I didn't know how to react; and for a matter of fact, he didn't know either. We had just stood there awkwardly until he coughed into his hand with a light blush and left the room.

It's been months, almost a year since I decided that day to take Caleb's hand. I don't think I regret it, and ever will; he was growing my world after all and shattering those glass walls of mine.

I could run and jump and go as I please.

It was amazing.

"Seyton, dinners ready!" A voice rang out from the stairwell. I paused in my reading before I reached over to my nightstand to place the "Italian for Dummies" book away. Caleb had given it me months prior in preparation for our flight to Italy where I would meet The Family. He didn't say "his family", he said "The Family", like with implied capitals in his voice.

"Coming..." I replied while slinking down the staircase and jumping over several packed suitcases. I entered the kitchen to see Caleb in a red and white apron that said "Once you put my meat in your mouth, you're gonna want to swallow."

He looked so proud and near tears when I gave it to him for his birthday. He sobbed into the sexual innuendo printed on the apron and muttered something along the lines "They grow up so fast!" through exaggerated sobs.

I pulled the chair back and sat down at the dinner table where Caleb had already set out the dishes. As I dug into the food and chewed methodically, I saw Caleb steal furtive glances at me in between bites and furrow his eyebrows as if in thought.

"What is it Caleb?" I asked quietly, while sneakily pushing the vegetables on my plate into my lap where I had strategically placed a napkin to catch the offending morsels. He looked up in surprise right after I got rid of the last piece of broccoli, and started to open his mouth to reply.

"Well... The thing is..." he started out nervously, his hands reached out to scratch the back of his head in a sheepish manner. "The Family kinda doesn't know about you...?" He said, the statement coming out more like a question.

I only could stare at him.

He was housing an 8 year old child (at the time) for a year and didn't tell anyone? That seemed just a tad suspicious.

I raised my eyebrow in amusement and tilted my head to the side as if to say 'how did you manage that?' Caleb clearly got the silent message and put down his utensils to pull up a hand to massage his temple.

"...I told you why I left Italy right?" The blonde haired man said resigned, while holding his head in his hands. I nodded up and down in response,

"Yeah, you said and I quote, 'THAT BASTARD OF A FATHER WANTED ME TO MARRY SOME BIMBO AND POP OUT BABIES LIKE THERE WAS NO TOMORROW!' ... ahem, and end quote" I finished while coughing into my hand.

"I do not sound like that." He said indigently, arms crossed over his chest childishly while he pouted. I stared at him and he stared at me, "...I don't sound like that..." He whined while his shoulders slumped down in defeat.

"Keep telling yourself that Caleb." I said airily while turning away to finish my meal, which to my utter demise, sported a large array of vegetables. I looked up in a jolt and pinned Caleb in a frosty glare. He only smiled cheekily while he waved towards my now empty lap with a flourish.

"If you don't eat your vegetables Seyton, you won't grow up to be big and strong!" he said while wagging a finger in the air in a scolding tone with a pleased look on his face. I stared at him with a blank expression and watched as his smile broke, he started to squirm in his seat and little drops of perspiration formed at his temple.

"Ahem... Well, anyways..." he said clearing his throat as I jabbed the little pieces of evil on my plate with vigor. "I left because I didn't want to get married, but The Family still needed an heir so..." I stopped in my attacking to look up at him with narrowed eyes.

"An heir?" I questioned and watched as his whole demeanor quickly changed from his normal easy going self to a something serious. He locked eyes with me and I watched as those sky blue orbs of his turn icy with frozen heat.

"Yes, an heir..." Caleb said while placing a hand on my head, a habit that he picked up over the many months we spent together. "My heir."

I watched those frozen glaciers in his eyes melt slightly as he ruffled my hair in an affectionate manner.

Silence ensued as I stared at him and he stared at me, I could see the cogs in his brain (as tiny as they were) turn and spin. His face, no matter how serious he was trying to be, was slightly worried.

It spelt 'Oh shit, I told him too soon, whatdoIdowhatdoIdoWHATDOIDO-'

I interrupted him and bluntly asked.

"Can I have dessert now?"

"..."

He stared at me with utter shock, his mouth slightly agape.

"..."

I stared at him, slightly amused as I imagined a fly (preferably a pregnant one so it could lay eggs) fly into his mouth.

"GWUAHAHAHAHA!" Caleb burst out laughing while clutching his arms to his sides, as if to hold in his innards so he couldn't laugh them out. "HAHAHAHAHA! And here I thought you would be terrified or mad!" He finished while still chuckling into his hand.

I could only stare at him inquisitively, "Should I be scared?" I asked suspiciously through narrowed eyes. He only patted me on the head and continued smiling,

"No, not really... maybe... just a little..." He drifted off with an apprehensive look on his face.

Sigh, what a tiring adult.

"Okay, but I get _two _bowls of ice cream then." I said while holding up two fingers in front of his face as if daring his to deny me of my sweets. He only laughed again while nodding, before he went and brought me the whole carton and two spoons.

Both of which were for me.

While I busied myself with shoveling the chocolate chip ice cream into my mouth with both hands, Caleb exited the room with his phone up to his ear. I heard him muttering in rapid Italian in the other room, and I swallowed.

It was rare for him to be so indulgent; I mean he gave me the WHOLE carton. That only happened as often as every blue moon. I scraped the sides of the carton while chewing on the edge of the metal spoon in thought.

Maybe I should be scared...

.

.

.

I scooped another spoonful of chocolate heaven and bit into it

'_I'll worry about it later.'_

_._

_._

_._

**A/N- Well that was the second chapter, I hope you enjoyed it.**

**I started out with a ton loads of ideas and my head is just a mess full of plots right now I cant even sleep.**

**Thanks so much to those who followed, favourited and reviewed, much appreciated.**

**For those who don't know yet, I also have another KHR fanfiction called "Rebel", which is humor/romance. The first couple of chapters are a little... eh crappy, but you can just skip over those, I don't mind.**

**Leave me a review!**

**Lots of love**


	3. Chapter 3- The Family Name

**Chapter 3- The Family Name**

.

.

.

"Basilisk, sir... The young master is on his way here now." A faceless man said from the shadows. His dark non-descript clothing faded into the walls behind him and the only noticeable detail was the elaborate snake tattoo circling his neck.

"..."

The man who was referred to as Basilisk nodded slightly and waved a hand in the air in a dismissive gesture.

"Tell that fool to come see me when he arrives, that boy has a lot of explaining to do." He said softly, but the words came out harsh and commanding. The man in the shadows bowed and left after receiving his orders.

"Sigh... He finally comes crawling back, does he?" The man mused while settling himself into the large carved throne like chair, before lighting up a single cigar. He placed the thick Italian treat in between his thin lips and breathed in the intoxicating smoke. Before letting go with a huff and enjoying the sensations of the burning tobacco that flowed from his lungs.

"Stupid son..." The man drawled as a small but noticeable smile formed on his face, dashing all signs of irritation. "Took you long enough..."

_._

_._

_._

"Stop fidgeting Caleb." I admonished while fastening my seatbelt, the man was twitching like mad and couldn't help sneaking worried glances behind him as the scenery passed. When we had exited the airport, a few men in dark coloured suits had came up to us and announced that they were to "escort us to the Masters home", and shoved us into a black limousine.

For the entire ride Caleb would not stop worrying and wrung his hands over and over in a repetitive manner. His blond hair was damp with sweat and his blue eyes darted back and forth like a rabid animal. His muscles tensed at every bump and turn we passed and I could see he was having a difficult time relaxing.

All in all, it was very worrying.

What on Earth could have this effect on him?

Surely, he should be _glad_ that he is returning home after so long, so why was he so worried? Unless, there was a reason besides his impending fatherhood that drove him away from Italy, if so then what? At my comment, he merely smiled stiffly before forcibly letting go of the wired posture that he was holding and slouched back into the plush cushioning.

"Sorry, Seyton... I'm just a little nervous." He replied sighing, while running a hand over his hair in a tired gesture.

"You don't need to be nervous Caleb." I reassured him while keeping my eyes on the back the drivers head. "I'll protect you." I could feel his shock and heartfelt affection from the seat beside me and couldn't help the small smile that crawled its way onto my lips.

"How comforting." He chuckled while fluffing my hair. "How is a little boy like you who doesn't even eat his vegetables supposed to protect me?" He asked incredulously, his shoulders shaking in mirth. I was a little miffed to see not only Caleb laughing at my proclamation, but the driver and accompanying staff were smiling in humor as well.

I slunk back into the chair and crossed my arms across my chest with a small pout.

"Well, never mind then. Seeing as you don't need my help, I'll just leave you to the wolves then." I spat out, face slightly flushed in embarrassment.

"No, no, thank you Seyton. I'll take you up on that offer." Caleb smirked while reaching over to sling a scarred arm across my shoulders in an affectionate manner. "But there won't be any wolves, no... _wolves_ I could deal with. But we are facing something much worse than that." I looked up in surprise, what was worse than facing off with a hungry pack of wolves?

"What then?" I asked and watched as the men who accompanied us stiffen as Caleb answered.

"Family..." He said grim faced and lightly touched his collared neck, where a long white bandage circled.

"Family?" I repeated, before slowly nodding my head. Yes, family could be extremely terrifying. I knew from experience.

"...Don't worry Caleb; I'll be with you this time. If push comes to shove, you can always use me as a meat shield." I replied while holding my arms out in an attempt to spread myself out to cover more ground.

A roar of laughter shook the limousine, and it came from all adults sitting in the car. I sat confused, with my arms still in the air as the man sitting in front of me smiled at Caleb.

"Why, you have such a strong little body guard, Mr. Drakonim." The man said chuckling and aimed a pair of amused eyes at me. I stiffened as Caleb smiled back, albeit a little stiffer, and nodded in return.

"Aye, Seyton is a toughie." He snickered before crushing me to his chest in a hug. The rest of the ride was relaxed and relatively stress free as I struggled to breathe with my face smashed into his side.

When we got there I was more than relieved to get out of the stuffy limo and reached up to stretch slowly, arching my back. As I did so, my shirt ran up a bit and a small band of skin showed. The men around me showed no reaction and didn't even as much as blink when they handed me my suitcase. I guess scars weren't exactly a rare occurrence here at The Family.

It made me a little less apprehensive inside.

I smiled wryly as we approached the towering gates of the Drakonim estate.

Caleb's nerves caught on fire again and I watched him gnaw on his lip in clear worry. His posture stiff once more and poised as if ready to flee or fight. Which one, I didn't know.

"Young master, please this way. Your father wishes your presence." A voice said from behind the stone walls, I peeked out from behind Caleb and watched as he sighed and complied with the shadowed man.

I started after him but was stopped by an outstretched hand that was placed in front of me. Caleb started to protest but was quickly silenced by the man.

"Your father seeks _your_ presence, young master. He did not mention a child." The man said slowly, trying not to offend Caleb in any way. The blonde looked extremely conflicted and turned to face me. He crouched on the back of his heels and lowered himself to my level.

"I'll be back soon Seyton." He said softly while placing one hand on my shoulder comfortingly. I stared up at him with a blank face, eyes narrowing slightly.

"How soon is soon?" I asked while eyeing the man behind him with the snake tattoo, something about the way he looked at Caleb was bothering me. It was far too intense for my liking. If this man had any intentions of harming Caleb, I would find out. And when I did, then well... there might be one less servant hanging around the Drakonim mansion.

"I don't know, but I'll try to be quick. Just be good till I get back, ok?" Caleb said, while squeezing my shoulder and then stood to follow the shadow man through the winding paths of the estate.

"Alright little boy, let's go wait for Mr. Drakonim inside." One of the men who brought us here said, while tugging his tie off and unbuttoning his collar. The shirt hung low and revealed yet another snake tattoo that circled the man's neck in a wide band. I stared at the similarities between the two and the man caught my gaze.

"Oh, this?" He asked, while slumping down into a chair and motioning for me to do the same. As I sat I noticed the other men in the room do the same and they all too, sported snake tattoos. Although the details varied, as some had wings and others didn't.

"What, curious boy?" He chuckled when the other men just smiled.

"Yes..." I said softly, which made his grin widen even further. "What does it mean?" at my question, he just motioned me closer and I complied with dragging my chair in front of him.

"Well, that's quite a long story..." He started out, looking off into the distance. The other men in the room seemed distant as well as a story was spun in the air.

.

.

.

"Myths and legends are always tossed aside as a fantastical lie. These stories were a love of many and a way to pass time; they were used to scare little children into obeying and do their chores. For that reason, many "monsters" favourite meals consisted of bad or naughty children." The man said while tracing the tattoo on his neck and grinned at me.

"The most common of monsters or well known, was the dragon. Sea-snake, Draco, Wryn, there is a ton of names that are used. Many cultures have their own version and each have their own story." He whispered, voice creeping lower in an eerie tone. "Ours however is The Hydra."

"The Hydra?" I asked and watched as his eyes shone with a light of pride and excitement.

"Yes, do you know the story?" I shook my head and he smiled. "It's a Greek legend where Hercules a demi-god has to face twelve death defying trials. Each one more difficult than the last and one of them was-"

"The Hydra" I said while interrupting him.

"Yes," He chuckled at my expression, "The Hydra is a nine headed sea serpent, a dragon of sorts and is practically immortal."

"Practically immortal?" I asked, tilting my head. "What do you mean by practically?"

"Hush child, I was getting to that." He smirked and continued with his story. "The Hydra was a formidable foe, every time Hercules went to cut off one of the heads, two more would sprout in its place. On and on this would go, a long battle took place and many forgotten heads lay on the floor. Now what I meant by 'practically immortal' was that there was only one head that could not die, unlike the others. No matter what Hercules did, it would still bite and gnaws at him from the ground where it fell." I stared at him wide eyed now, seeing the tattoo on his neck in a new light.

"How did he beat The Hydra then?" I questioned, surely an immortal snake dragon couldn't have been defeated that easily.

"Well, every time Hercules cut off one of the heads, he heated his sword in flames and cauterized the wound, preventing any regeneration. One by one the heads fell, tumbling to the ground. As the last immortal head of The Hydra stood proud and tall, Hercules swung his great sword and decapitated it!" He said, arms swinging in demonstration.

"But I thought you said it was still fighting when it fell." I questioned, wasn't it supposed to be immortal?

"Yes, it was. Even as it's body lay limp on the side, now facing death. The creature did not give up and fought ferociously, tearing at Hercules with its fangs and desperately tried to win.

Now Hercules was at a loss, even when he stabbed the poor Hydra in the eyes and tongue, smashing it's skull to bits. It would not die.

Even when he set it on fire and watched as it shrieked in pain and despair, it would not die.

Even when he dropped it into the shallow waters to drown, it would not die.

Being immortal did that you see. No matter what injuries befell the mighty Hydra, it would not cease to exist."

"So what did Hercules do?" I said while rubbing the hidden scars on my arms. The poor snake, being tortured over and over was not a nice experience.

"Well, he decided to dig a big hole in the ground, shoveling the dirt away to make a deep, deep crater." I stared horrified; surely he didn't do what I thought he did.

"He then stabbed the Hydra's head, still alive and breathing, with the end of his sword, and flung it into the dark hole. He listened to the hissing and swears of revenge as it tumbled down into the Earth, before he closed it burying the creature deep inside the ground." I frowned in distaste, how cruel. He already defeated the Hydra, and could have just left, but he decided to bury it alive? How cruel.

"Wasn't there anybody to help it?" I asked hopefully, the air in the room was tense as the story went on and by now the tension was taut as a wire.

"Hm? Why yes, there was! There was a giant crab that was the Hydra's friend and it did try to help, but was killed by Hercules as well." He said sagely.

"Killed? It wasn't immortal like The Hydra?"

"No..." He said sadly, "Being immortal can be lonely in that sense, you would be alone and watch others around you pass."

My lips twitched downwards, again frowning. That was sad, having no one beside you.

"Oh, but guess what happened after Hercules left!" He continued, interrupting my musing.

"What?"

"Well, someone who was just passing by-"I cut him off with a wry smile,

"I doubt someone would be just passing by a huge beheaded dragon corpse."

"Well, they were, okay!" He snapped, before sighing.

"Well, as I was saying, before _someone_ interrupted, someone was passing by, and noticed the body of The Hydra, half rotted by now. The man, who was a traveler, had heard wondrous things about the creature. Most of the stories were terrifying to say the least, but that didn't deter him in the slightest. If anything, he was even more intrigued.

So when he spotted the bloody, decimated corpse of The Hydra, he was shocked. He quickly hurried to its side and examined the wounds. When he saw that the stumps were burned, he unsheathed his own sword and cut a thin slice off the rotting piece of flesh. At first, nothing happened, but as the moments passed, he watched as the flesh twisted and turned.

Muscles elongated and bone formed from thin air. He stared fascinated and watched as a long slender neck reconstructed itself before his very eyes. The skull was formed first, and he could see the brain and the beginnings of a pair of eyeballs grow inside the porcelain case. A mouth grew, and inside sharp teeth and a forked tongue snaked out to taste the air. He watched as the skin stretched over the wiry muscles and protruding bones and shiny illuminated scales grew.

All in all, he was fascinated. He had just watched the rebirth of The Hydra. At last, the snake was complete and he watched as the wounds and rotted flesh began to close by themselves and stitch back together. As The Hydra lay on its side, waiting patiently for it to heal, he felt a rumbling in his head.

A deep voice resounded, sounding neither male nor female. A bell like tone that whistled inside his brain.

"_**What is your name, human?**_ " The voice asked, and he watched on in eerie fascination as the newly grown head of the Hydra blinked at him through lidded eyes.

"M-My n-name is, i-is..." the man stuttered out, afraid and awed by its looming presence.

"_**Do not fear little human, I mean you no harm." **_The giant serpent hissed, long neck sliding through the air and settled in front of the humans face. "_**What is your name?"**_

The man gulped and clenched his fists before strengthening his resolve.

"My name is Volos Drakonim, Mister Hydra." As the two stared each other down in a lengthy look, the regenerating serpent finally asked.

"_**Why did you save me little Volos, I am a monster whom everyone fears." **_And this is true, many did fear The Hydra, an immortal giant snake struck fear into mortal's hearts.

The man gulped and reached out slowly, as the Hydra watched in trepidation. His hand slowly traced the tender wounds that crisscrossed the scaly body.

"I don't know..." The man whispered, running his hand down the snake's neck and watched as it purred in response. "Maybe because I'm a monster too."

"_**A monster? Dear human, you do not posses any horns or tails. Nor, do I sense any power from you**_." The snake said, confused. _**"How are you a monster?"**_

"You don't have to have a tail or have super strength to be a monster, Mister Hydra..." The man said, "What misdeeds and sins I have committed have made me into a monster, the horns and tail you speak of are not of physical form. But take place inside my heart. Where a devil lays, and makes me who I am...a monster..." He voiced while gripping his robes to his chest.

The snake rumbled in assent and dipped its head to lick his face.

"_**Then monsters alike should stay together. Come now brethren, help me find my head." **_And as Volos searched for the immortal head, he also cut off the remaining stumps and watched as seven more heads grew into the air. Each and every one nodding in appreciation and continued on with the search."

"Well, did they find it?" I asked, now sitting on the edge of my seat.

The man chuckled and shook his head sadly, "Unfortunately no, even if they did, Volos would have never been able to dig it up. As he was a human, where Hercules was a demi-god and buried the head deep deep underground where no mortal would even hope to reach."

I nodded glumly before looking up again.

"Then what about your tattoos?" I asked eyeing the men around me each reach up and touch their necks, where a circled snake ringed them in ink.

"Well, these..." He said, "Is a sign of our loyalty. Each and every one of us is a "head" of Hydra." I stared at him in confusion.

"Isn't Hydra a snake though? How can you be a head of Hydra if you're a human like Volos?" The man smiled softly at me and replied.

"We are not literally the heads of Hydra, not in that sense. But we are the "heads" or members of Hydra, The Family." He stated while holding his neck, others in the room mirroring the motion.

"When one falls, two takes his or hers place. Each brother or sister in our Family holds two successors in which would take their name when they die. Like the nine heads of Hydra, there are eight generals or leaders in The Family. Each is in charge of a certain district and holds their own authority and followers."

"Eight generals? But aren't there nine heads of Hydra?" I said contradicting him.

"Yes, the ninth head is The Immortal One, the one that was buried deep underground by Hercules himself." I tilted my head to the side.

"But if you already have a leader, what does the ninth head do?"

"You don't seem to understand, little boy. Yes, every district has their own leader which is one of the 8 generals. But the ninth head is much more than that." He smiled savagely at me, teeth grinning. The other men in the room had similar expressions of horrific glee on their faces. And at once I knew that I was in a room with a group of dangerous men.

"The Immortal One is not our leader, but is our _**master**_."

.

.

.

**A/N- Well, thats the third chapter, thanks for reading. I was so glad to see the amount of followers I got and I just want to thank you for it. I really love dragons and the like and people tend to use them a lot for names and stuff, but the idea of "Hydra" as a mafia family has been gnawing at my head for months. So I finally had enough and just had to get it out on paper, and here it is! **

**More stuff about Hydra will be added in the next chapter and you'll get a deeper look into the makings of it and how the system works. Hopefully, I'll stick to my schedule and update once a week.**

**Thanks to those who followed, favourited and or reviewed. It's much appreciated.**

**Lots of love to my readers. ^_^**


	4. Chapter 4- Fangs of the Hydra

**Chapter 4- Fangs of the Hydra**

.

.

.

I never knew my father.

I could only deduce that I look like him though, seeing as I shared no physical traits with my mother. Sometimes I wonder what life would have been like if he was here.

Would he love me?

Maybe.

Would I love him?

Probably.

Would we be happy?

I don't know.

So many questions, all unanswered.

What I do know for certain, was that Caleb was here.

He wouldn't leave me.

.

.

.

Caleb bowed lowly and kept his head down as soon as he entered the darkly lit room.

"You called for me father?" he asked politely, fists clenched by his side. His voice did not waver and showed no sign of nerves, but Basilisk knew better.

The boy was scared witless.

"...Come closer..." he whispered, hand beckoning towards the nerve shot man (boy really) before him. "Let me see my sons face" Caleb gulped in trepidation and slowly made his way across the room, stopping at a standstill in front of the throne like chair. He kneeled and slightly flinched when two calloused hands descended and cupped his chin...and then proceeded to squeeze the life out of him.

"THIS SOULLESS SON OF MINE!" Basilisk screamed in anger and frustration "HOW DARE YOU RUN AWAY?!" He slapped Caleb behind the head, causing him to wince. "YOU DISGRACEFUL GIT! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW WORRIED WE WERE? WE DIDN'T KNOW IF YOU HAD FOOD OR A ROOF OVER YOUR HEAD. DEAR GOD, WHAT IF YOU HAD GOTTEN HURT!?" he said, actions contradictory.

"NINE FUCKING YEARS! AFTER NINE YEARS, YOU COME CRAWLING BACK!" The elder Drakonim grabbed both ears on either side of his sons head and pulled viciously, stretching the skin painfully.

"OW! OW! OW! Dad~" Caleb whined in pain.

"Shut up Caleb! This is punishment!" He pulled even harder before letting go, making his ear lobes snap back. When Caleb finally thought it was over, the hands that was on his head moved toward his face. Basilisk pinched his nose and twisted it relentlessly, and listened with grim satisfaction as the whines grew and became swears and grunts of pain. Caleb fell due to the momentum and watched on helplessly as his father stood intimidatingly over him.

"What do you have to say for yourself young man...?" Basilisk muttered while dusting himself off

"I-"

Basilisk reached over again and pinched both cheeks on his sons face, pulling on them, hard. The skin turned red as seconds passed and pinpricks of tears entered Caleb's eyes.

"What do you have to say?" He prompted once more,

"Daaadddd~ Ei hurss... le goooooo **–It hurts, let go-"** He said, face stretched out of proportion. His arms waved in the air behind him, not daring to lay a hand on his father.

"WHAT. DO. YOU. HAVE. TO. SAY." Basilisk asked, pausing in between each word to

"I'm sorrrry~" he slurred, words coming out funny due to the cheek pinching. Basilisk nodded, satisfied and let go after giving one last squeeze.

"Owieee..." Caleb whined, rubbing his poor abused cheeks. He could feel them swelling now, the pain throbbed rhythmically. Basilisk stood and returned to his seat and leaned back into the throne like chair, with a slight smile on his face.

"Now, tell me son. What this about a boy you brought...?" Caleb stiffened in his position on the floor and stopped all whining. His previous pitiful state was replaced with a commanding aura. The blond man stood at full height and once again bowed to his father. But this time, as he rose, his eyes sparkled in excitement and danger, much like before a fight.

"Well father, "He said, looking into Basilisk's milky blue eyes "I found me a devil."

.

.

.

"Seyton!" Caleb cried out in shock. "What on earth are you doing to my men?!"

"The correct question to ask would be, what are _you_ doing to them?" Caleb was currently shielding his "men" as he called it, and looked very much like a mama bear protecting her cubs.

It was endearing, or at least it would have been if the men he was protecting didn't look like they just got out of jail.

"I wasn't doing anything Caleb~" I replied with my arms crossed over my chest in denial. "They're the ones that wanted to play a game."

"Then why the hell are they all half naked!?" Caleb screeched in horror, spittle flying through the air.

"We were playing strip poker, duh." I drawled lazily, the only piece of clothing I was missing were my shoes and socks. The men behind him however, were not in the same state. Some were lucky enough to have some clothing still on, but others were only in their boxers.

"Hahaha, young master, do not blame the boy. It was my idea." A voice said, it was the shadowed man; he had come earlier and interrupted the tense atmosphere. As soon as he entered the room, the storyteller whose name I can't seem to remember challenged the man to a game of poker, and the shadowed man agreed but only if they played strip poker. Why they wanted to play that in a room with only males baffled me.

Not that I had anything against those who played for the same team, just that they can't _all_ be gay...can they?

Oh well, not that it was any of my business.

The men who had lost miserably, which were only a few, were complaining and pawing for their clothes back. Said articles of clothing were stashed neatly behind me, my prize if you will.

The shadowed man helped me get them, which won him a few points. I still didn't like how he looked at Caleb though.

"_Seyton_!" Caleb exclaimed, hands fisting his blond locks.

"It's their fault for wanting to play strip poker with a kid..." I sniffed indigently "...and lost"

"Seyton..." Caleb groaned "I leave you alone for a bit and this is what you do? How the hell did you win anyways? Do you even know how to play poker?!"

"I do now." I replied, just a little bit smug at my victory. Ok, maybe more than just a little bit. Alot. Hell, I just like winning.

A light chuckle came from the doorway behind Caleb, "So this is the little devil is it? Seyton? What a fitting name." **(A/N- Seyton, Satan, same pronunciation) **An elderly man in his late sixties or early seventies stepped into my view; he had whitish blond hair that was slicked back carefully across his head that created a shine when the light hit it. He wore a dark blue pinstripe suit and a black fedora that had a serpent design circling it like a band. In his wrinkly hand, he held a silver cane, its body engraved with intricate designs of swirling dragons and snakes whose tails where tangled together. The head of the cane which he cupped was of a dragon head whose eyes were made of rubies.

All in all, he looked like a boss.

He looked powerful.

It was scary.

His presence brought the occupants of the room to a standstill and immediately they all lowered themselves in some way. A few bowed their heads, some at the waist and a couple went as far as to kneel on the floor. Either way, they gave him their respect.

"Good evening Drakonim" they chorused, even the men who had untimely lost to me in a game of poker had froze. They had stopped in their whining and despite their undress, greeted the powerful man before me.

"Good evening boys!" The man chuckled, tapping his cane against the floor as he crossed the room.

Click. Clack. Click. Clack.

The can rhythmically scanned the space in front of him, waving it back in forth. I watched with growing fascination as he –Caleb's father I presume- made his way towards me.

"Come here now boy, let me see you face." He gestured in the air in front of him, his gaze off into the distance. The old man wore an amused expression on his face, as if he knew exactly what I was thinking.

He was blind.

I skittered over to his side and watched as his ear twitched at my footsteps. When I stepped in front of him, his milky blue eyes stared down at me.

Seeing, but unseeing.

Fascinating.

"Oho? You must be Seyton, Caleb's told me quite a bit about you. Something about vegetables...?" He joked while holding a hand out to me.

The image made me pause. It was no mistake at this point. He was definitely Caleb's father. The hair, the eyes, and even the way they held themselves were the same. He held his hand out to me patiently waiting just like Caleb had done nearly a year ago, their forms overlapping in my mind.

"That's nice, Caleb's said absolutely nothing about you" I said in a polite tone, pleased when said man turned red with horror. I reached forward to clasp his hand, one that was much larger than mine and directed it towards my face as I had an idea of what he meant. He wanted "to see my face". And well, in the movies blind people did this all the time, so I figured he did as well.

His rough fingers trailed across my face and ghosted over my features. All the while asking me questions on what I looked like.

"What colour is you hair?"

"I have red hair; no freckles though, haven't stolen any souls as of late." **(A/N- It's a joke that redheads have a freckle for every soul they steal, sorry if that offends any gingers)**

"Your eyes?"

"Black."

And so on, he would ask a question about my appearance and I would reply with some sort of witty remark. Or I would like to think that they were witty, Caleb didn't seem to think so. As our version of twenty questions continued, I watched as he drew a picture out of thin air in his mind. Smiling as if satisfied, he dropped his hand from mine and turned to Caleb.

"A pretty one eh?" I twitched at that, pretty? I had no illusions as to what I looked like. Yes, I knew that I was slightly (a little more than slightly) feminine looking but who wasn't at my age? An unconscious pout made its way across my lips and the elderly man standing in front of me laughed into his hand as if he could see my expression.

"What did I tell you?" Caleb exclaimed, his voice sounding smug, and a tad proud. "He's a looker, gonna break a lot of hearts when he grows up!"

Oh yeah, definitely smug.

I coughed into my fist, "Paedophile" while discreetly looking at Caleb.

Said blonde shot me a warning look as his elder Drakonim smiled in amusement.

"Ah! I still haven't introduced myself yet, now have I?" The man exclaimed while tapping the floor with his impressive cane. The thing was a beauty and I wanted one, bad.

I shook my head, still eyeing the artful craftsmanship with wonder, but stopped when I realized he couldn't see me.

"No sir."

Ignoring Caleb's mutters of "What about me...he doesn't call me sir..." The blind man in front of me bowed flourishingly at the waist, fluid and graceful as a snake.

"The names Basilisk Drakonim, but you sonny, can call me Nonno."

I froze.

Along with everyone else in the room, the exception being Caleb, wore varying expressions of shock. Some more than others.

I was one of those who were baffled.

Nonno...? Isn't that Italian for Grandpa? Why would he want me to call him Grandpa?

My mouth gaped like a fish out of water and I was sure that if the man in front of me –grandpa, my mind whispered- could see me, he would definitely be laughing. Like Caleb was doing right now.

"...Excuse me?" I managed to spit out, "Sir, what do you mean by-"

"Ah! Call me Nonno!" He said firmly, tapping his cane on the ground as if to back up his statement, no matter how incredulous it was. An explosion of quiet inquiries filled the room.

"Nonno...? Nonno!? You're kidding!"

"Is he the young masters son?!"

"**OH MY GOD**, I JUST PLAYED STRIP POKER WITH THE BOSS'S GRANDSON!"

I looked at Caleb in confusion and saw that he was still in his laughing fit and had fallen on the floor clutching his stomach.

"Um..." I started out nervously, Basilisk smiled encouragingly and placed a large hand on my shoulder and squeezed.

"Go on, say it." He chuckled, and Caleb mad his way to stand beside me.

"Nonno...?" I whispered in the air embarrassed. My face had coloured considerably and the word came out more like a question.

"Gwahahahaha! At last!" Basilisk –Grandpa, my mind supplied- boomed, his milky looking eyes filled with mirth. "Ah... I feel so old now." Caleb laughed along with him before I interrupted them.

"Caleb...What happened to you face?" I asked innocently, and watched in satisfaction when he flinched, already sensing a humiliating story behind the action.

"Just some father son bonding time, don't worry about it Seyton." Basilisk said butting in. "your father's been away for a long time you see."

My muscles locked in place at his words.

"Father...?" My voice broke, coming out in an unbelieving whisper. Immediately Caleb froze in realization and panic gripped him. I barely noted that he was shooting Basilisk, his _ father _scalding glances. He looked nervous as he fluttered around me and wrung his hands in worry.

"Well, -It's- Um... Seyton-"

"What is the meaning to this Caleb?" Basilisk demanded, looking just as panicked and worried as Caleb did, he didn't want to make his grandson cry as soon as he met him. Caleb laughed nervously and shifted around from foot to foot.

"Well... the thing is... I'm not blood related to him..." Angry gasps and relieved sighs were heard from behind us.

"So he's _not _Caleb's son?"

"Thank God."

"Phew, so I _didn't_ play strip poker with the heir."

I stayed locked in place and my eyes watered in restrained anger and sadness.

Sadness I understood, but why was I angry?

It wasn't their fault they thought I was his son. After all, he had left for nearly a decade, and when he did return, he was towing an eight year old boy behind him. Anyone familiar with the situation would have come to the same logical conclusion, that I was his son.

They thought I was his son...

They thought he was my...father.

A couple tears escaped despite my reluctance and created a salty line down my face. At once, Caleb was at my side and was kneeling in front of me. He was rubbing my arms up and down in a reassuring gesture and cooed, trying to calm me down. I reddened in embarrassment as I felt a sob crawl its way up my throat, he held me to his side and I buried my face into his shoulder, not making a sound.

Basilisk, at a loss of what happened, stood looking lost as he reached out apprehensively. I sniffed, trying not to cry and he froze at the sound, a look of panic flickered on his face. He found me after much trial and error and patted my head slowly, while Caleb urged me to meet his father's gaze. I turned, still in Caleb's hold and looked at the old man in front of us.

"Caleb's not my dad..." I whispered out, voice full of regret and shame, my eyes downcast. Caleb shook his head, silently agreeing with me.

"No...I'm not..." Caleb said regretfully, a wry smile on his lips. Basilisk still looked confused and his mouth opened into a small "o".

"But you said that you brought your son with you...?" His words shocked me out of my tears and I watched attentively as Caleb's worried face snapped into embarrassment. He coloured a dark red that spread to his ears and down his neck, only to disappear under his clothes. The red that flooded his cheeks clashed horribly with his blue, blue eyes. He started to stutter uncontrollably.

"I-I-I-"

I raised an eyebrow delicately and waited for a coherent response. I cringed slightly as his arms tightened around me in embarrassment. He turned and buried his head into my hair and hid his face. His red face blended magnificently with my crimson hair and I heard him mutter something.

"_... I'm not his dad...but we're family." _

From the face splitting grin Basilisk wore, he had heard too. I smiled and looped my arms around Caleb's blushing neck and squeezed him, hard.

"Yeah... family"

.

.

.

**-At the Cavallone Mansion-**

"Focus, Dino." Reborn snapped while cocking a transformed Leon-gun at the panicked teen's head. "As the boss of the Cavallone family, you have to know the names of the opposing and allied Famiglias."

"Reborn~ I'm not going to be a mafia boss!" Dino whined, his arms flapping in the air as he balanced on the wooden pole that jutted out from under the ground. Countless spikes of varying sizes surrounded him, and if he were to fall, it would not be a pretty sight.

"Shut up Dino, now list the Famiglias."

"Sigh, which ones?" Dino replied defeated, he was trying oh so desperately to keep his balance; it was a miracle that he lasted this long anyways. If his luck ran out, and it always did, he would end up as an Italian human shish kebab.

"The obvious ones. Now go" Reborn said in his squeaky sounding tone, gun still pointed at the future don's temple.

"EEK! OK! OK! Wait a sec! One of the strongest Famiglia is the Vongola and we are allied with them, they date back from-"

Click.

That was Reborn taking the safety off.

"We haven't got all day idiota, next."

"AGH! The next allied family is the Giegue Famiglia, or the Grave diggers as they're called and they have-"

BANG!

A trail of smoke filtered through the air as the frightened teen shook in a fit of nerves. A line of blood made itself known on the young Italians cheek, having been grazed by a bullet.

"AHHHHHHH!"

"You missed one Dino" Reborn explained as his student shot him an incredulous look.

"I WASN'T EVEN DONE YET! Why did you-"

"Shut up Dino, you forgot the HYDRA's." Reborn said, his fedora shadowing his eyes.

"The Hydra? You mean like the Greek legend?" Dino questioned, holding his hand over his cut and wincing as blood came away with his hand.

"Yes, a legend. Listen carefully Dino, no matter what you do, never, ever kill a Hydra." Reborn hissed eyes furious. "Those snakes are relentless. It's best to not get involved."

"What? What do you mean by that?" Dino said confused.

"Let me tell you a story"

.

.

.

The Hydra Famiglia has always been a weak family, hiding in the shadows and doing odd jobs here and there. They dabbled in everything. From assassinations, seduction, hacking, drugs, to even tracking! The Hydra family was one full of talent, but they were looked down upon because they were seen as money grabbing scum. They had no honour, no matter what the request, if you had enough money, they would do it.

It didn't matter what you were asking them to do, if you had the money and they had the skills, it was a done deal.

Even for such a small Famiglia, it was rather organized. There are eight leaders, or generals I would say. Each resides in a different country and helps each other out on certain jobs. Say the head in China had a client who requested a seduction/infiltration mission, and they didn't have anybody there that met the requirements. Then they would contact a head from another country and they would send over an agent who fit the description. It was an efficient means of getting things done. They were the jack of all trades in the mafia and still are, so much that it's frightening. The boss of the bosses, or the _capo dei capi_, is the ninth head of the Hydra, they call him or her the Immortal One.

You could think of him as the father of the household, the sire of the other heads if you will. They see the Immortal one as their master and follow his every command as if it is the will of God itself. If he were to ask them to kneel and lick his shoe, they would do it gladly. If he asked them to kill their family, they would ask when, and how he wants it done. Hell, if he asked them to shoot themselves, they would smile and ask for the nearest gun.

It is a dictatorship and founded on one person.

The Immortal One.

Although, it is not through fear they follow him, it is through love and dedication. It is odd how it works, but it does. His word is law and the law is your life. If you do not follow the law, then you cease to exist, two would take your place.

From what I can tell, each member of the Famiglia holds two successors who would take their place when they die. And when I say die, I mean pass away, the only way to leave The Hydra Famiglia is through death, which is... if they even wanted to leave. Now what I mean when I tell you not the mess with the Hydra is that they are vengeful. Much more so than any Famiglia there is. When one head of the Hydra falls, two will come to seek revenge. No matter how long it takes and what obstacles there are, the offender will find himself dead in a matter of time.

Like I said earlier, they were a small Famiglia; they were looked on as weak. The scum of the mafia that did all the dirty jobs, the horrid ones that held no honour, the ones with most risks.

It all changed though, that one day.

It was the Rischio Famiglia that changed this all. They were the ones to lift the veil.

I'm not sure how it happened, no one does, but one of the members of the Rischio Famiglia had hired a Hydra. They said they wanted an intelligence expert, and the Hydras replied. They gave him a female Hydra, one who was supposed to be beautiful beyond words, the method of which she extracted information was easy to know at first glance. But the Rischio brat had other ideas for the lady. He drugged and raped her, and then killed her. Mutilating her body and chopping it into pieces to relocate in another area.

It was despicable, and he had what was coming to him. His Famiglia however? They did not.

At once, two members of the Hydra came to seek revenge, how they knew one of their own was gone is a mystery.

They asked for the man by name, and when met resistance, slaughtered the guards. Nothing was stopping them from reaching their goal; they were to kill the man. Obviously, the Rischio were angered, and fought back, not about to lose one of their members to a bunch of snakes.

This is where it began.

The Rischio had sealed their fate.

Those two Hydra members were dealt with and killed, the Rischio boss thought that would be that, until four more came knocking on his door. They screamed and demanded the death of the man who killed the first woman, as well as the men who killed the other two. Now they wanted three of his Famiglia. That was not acceptable.

Now when I say that when one dies, two takes their place, the replacing members usually were in the same field as the original, but that was not always the case. Since the lady who was raped was a seduction agent, who specialized in intelligence, then the two members were of the same field. But when those two died, others came. The Hydras were known for their diversity, so it wasn't a shock when a professional assassin came in lieu of murder. But even he was culled as it was four against an entire Famiglia.

On and on this would go, for every man and woman killed, two more would appear, demanding the heads of those who killed their brothers and sisters.

One became two.

Two became four.

Four became eight.

Eight became sixteen.

An endless cycle.

The Rischio was concerned, the Hydra was thought to be a small Famiglia, and surely they wouldn't risk so many trained members for revenge? When the mafia thought that the Hydra had no honour, they were wrong. The members would always stop at the headquarters doors, and knock, as if visiting a friend. They would smile politely and list off every name of the men and women who murdered their fellow Hydras and then ask to see them. Never would they charge in or sneak in through the back door, they always came through the main entrance. Never did they go after the member's families or servants. They merely wished for revenge.

Before the Rischio knew it, with that one Hydra death, came one hundred vengeful soldiers.

Already their forces had dwindled considerably due to all the attacks, the leader stood shaken in his office and waited as the snakes knocked on the door.

They were listing names once again, on and on it went. When they were done, they had practically said the entire remaining forces of the Rischio Famiglia, including the boss.

It was a massacre.

No one was left spared; all who had spilled Hydra blood paid and were sent to their deaths.

The Rischio Famiglia was wiped out in a matter of weeks, a one sided war.

As one head of the Hydra falls, two takes its place. On and one this goes, so when you think you have won, that you have defeated a Hydra. You are merely adding to their ranks, giving birth to two more enemies whose mission is to slaughter you. So never, _ever_ kill a Hydra, for two will come for you. The Cavallone were thought to be the largest Famiglia, and still is, but only in name. Since no one knows how many heads the Hydra has now.

And above all this tragedy and blood, lays the Immortal One.

The dictator.

The God.

The Master of the Hydra.

So, Dino, never go against a Hydra. Let them pass, and be on their way.

For as soon as they get their fangs in you, they'll never let you go.

.

.

.

**A/N- Ah, its nice to see so many people like this fic.**

**"Rischio" means Risk in Italian, so it was the "Risk Family" that was slaughtered.**

**And the Vendince didnt interfere because they thought it was unnecessary and disputes among the mafia was common. The fighting took place too fast and before they knew it, they Rischio Famiglia was no more.**

**One of my reviewers asked if there was going to be romance in this fic, and yes I think so. I might pair Seyton up with someone in the story or make another oc to suit him, but I'm not sure yet.**

**So the subject of romance is just an idea i'm fiddling with, its not definite yet.**

**Thanks so much to those who followed, reviewed and favourited.**

**Lots of love to my readers.**

**P.S remember to visit my other story REBEL!**


	5. Chapter 5- Smile

**Chapter 5- Smile**

**.**

**.**

**.**

"I am not wearing that" I snapped, head shaking in anger. "There is no way in Hell that you're getting me to step into that."

"Seyton~" Caleb whined, holding the dress in his hands in the air. "Please? For me?" Cue puppy eyes. As you should know, Caleb is a fully grown man who has seen more than his fair share of battles, and has scars to prove it. Yet here he is, begging on his knees with tears in his eyes, trying to get an eight year old boy wear a dress. His mastery of the puppy eye look though was impressive.

So much that it is unfair. Unfair I tell you.

"No!" I lashed out "I'm not wearing a dress!"

"But Seyton~ you have to!"

"Why Caleb? Tell me why! I don't see you wearing one!" At this, Caleb stiffened and turned to start rummaging around in the closet.

"Oho? What is this? Looks like my size..." He pulled out a long black dress that had a slit on the side that reached all the way to the hip. "Okay! I'll wear one if you wear one Seyton!" he looked so proud of his solution and was already planning his outfit out loud.

"I'll need some heels... and shave my legs, oh! I know just the necklace to go with this!" He chirped cheerfully while clutching the dress to himself in excitement.

I face palmed and then held my hand out to him. He dumped the offending piece of clothing in my hand and twirled away happily.

"I hate you" I hissed through narrowed eyes. "Why are we even going?!"

"Hush hush Seyton, get changed." The blond man said while admiring himself in the mirror. I sighed and made my way behind the changing screen. I held the frilly blue dress in front of me, cringing at the amount of bows.

"Stupid, stupid, Caleb. Stupid, stupid, meeting." I muttered under my breath as I shimmied my way into the dress. A light chuckle was heard through the screen.

.

.

.

**-Caleb's POV-**

Oh god, he was just too cute. Seyton's face when I had pulled out the dress he was to wear was a mix of horror and curiosity. He obviously was not expecting the next words that came out of my mouth.

"Time to get changed!" I sang pushing the dress in his direction and turned to pick out a wig for him. Maybe black? Hmmmm...Short or long hair, maybe-

"I am not wearing that!" He screeched; face reddening to a lovely crimson colour that matched his hair. I raised an eyebrow at his behaviour.

"There is no way in Hell you are getting me to step into that" It was funny how much he said "Hell" in his everyday life.

"It's cold as hell in here"

"It's noisy as hell in here"

And his latest, "There is no way in Hell you are getting me to step into that"

What a complainer. The dress was for his own good. The place we were going didn't welcome our kind.

"Seyton~" I whined, clasping my hands together in front of me. "Please? For me?" I smirked victoriously when I saw his expression falter. Boy thought he was all that, but couldn't even stand against a couple of puppy eyes. He needed to learn a thing or two about emotional manipulation. Oh well, he would in time.

"No!" He shouted "I'm not wearing a dress!"

"But Seyton~ you have to!" It's true, he did, and otherwise we wouldn't be able to get through.

"Why Caleb? Tell me why! I don't see you wearing a dress!" Oh, that's all? I was going to change after he was done, but if it made him feel better...

I turned and started to rummage through the closet for a dress that would fit the occasion and saw Seyton blanch from the corner of my eye. I chuckled, poor kid.

"Oho? What's this? Looks like my size..." I pulled out a long black dress that cut a little too high for my liking but it would have to do. I would have to shave though, eck.

"I'll need some heels...and shave my legs...oh! I know just the necklace to go with this!" I said gleefully, happily enjoying the look on his face now. He obviously though I had lost my mind and proceeded to face palm. The boy sighed and merely held out a hand for the dress. I gave it to him and laughed when he pinched it between his fingers in disgust and held it away at arm's length. His face scrunched up as if he smelled something horrid.

"I hate you" he hissed, then turned to pout "Why are we even going?!"

Ahahaha, adorable.

"Hush hush Seyton, get changed" I said as I faced the mirror, holding the dress flat against my body. Behind my reflection stood my little red haired devil, shooting me the dirtiest look ever. He huffed and turned to go change. Why he didn't just change here confused me. Maybe it was because of his scars? I know he doesn't like showing it, and is actually very self conscious. He disliked people seeing them.

A scowl crossed my face when I thought about the amount of burns and scars on his body. When I was searching for an heir, I wanted a strong little tyke that could take all that the Hydra threw at them, preferably a boy so I didn't have to worry about when they grew up and I had to...explain things.

But when I had received Seyton's medical records, I was shocked to say the least. Even for child abuse victims, his by far was one of the worst that I have ever seen. What made me drive over the orphanage though were the comments made by the psychologist in the report. It was heart wrenching yet so fascinating at the same time.

.

.

.

**Attending Physician:** Dr. Laazar

**Copy of Original**

**Name**: Seyton (no last name)

-He insists to be called Seyton although there are no records of this being his actual name, this could be a self given name due to the fact that his mother called him a "devil's child", or "evil"

-I asked him if he thought he himself was evil, he said this- "Satan is the King of Hell, I'm no King."

-I asked him what he meant by that, he said- "Miss Rachael said that all people are born good, and that no one is really evil. But I disagree, Satan was probably born evil."

-He smiled when he said this

**Start of sessions**: 4 years old

-When he first came to us, he said that he didn't know how old he was and said that the doctor that fixed him up said he was around four

-I asked him if he liked birthdays, he snorted and said no

-I asked him if why he didn't choose a date for himself, he said- "Why do people celebrate their birthdays? You're getting older each year and closer to dying. That's so stupid. If I don't have a birthday, I won't age. I won't die."

-He smiled when he said this

**Present Age**: 7 years old

-Every time we have a session, he would greet me like this – "Great to see you Doc, what part of me do you want to cut open today?"

-I would ask him why he says that every time he sees me, he said "It's true Doc, you cut me open every time I'm here. And don't pretend you don't enjoy it somehow. I know you do. All of you do."

-I asked him who he meant when he said "all of you", and he just stared at me as if I was stupid

-This has been going on for three years

-He smiled when he said this

**Parents:** Missing mother and father

-Whenever I approach the subject of his mother, he becomes distant and indifferent, the opposite though could be said about his father

-He becomes excitable, but that quickly changes to remorse

-At the mention of his father, he confesses that he used to pretend his father would come for him. He said- "I used to think that my father was a secret government agent or something that went away for mother's and my safety, I used to think he would come for me, to save me" When I asked him why he said he "used to", he replied that dreaming was for children

-I said that he was still a child; he smiled at me pityingly and shook his head. He said –"What defines a child? Age? Maturity? Experience? Answer that question for me, _then_ we'll decide if I'm a child."

-He smiled when he said this

**Abuse:** There are multiple burns and scars on his body

-Wears long sleeved shirts and pants in an attempt to cover them, even in the Summer

-I asked him if he covered them because he was ashamed of them, he said "No, of course not. Why would I be ashamed of myself? It's them I'm ashamed of". I asked him who he was talking about and he didn't reply

-He seems to not like the pity or change in behaviour when others see his scars

-When I asked him if he hated his mother because she gave him those scars, he replied, "I don't hate people ... I hate what they do."

-He smiled when he said this

**Odd Quirks or Habits:** Taken to wearing blue on a constant basis

-I asked him why he wore blue all the time, he said it was his favourite colour

-I asked him why blue was his favourite colour instead of red or yellow, something more joyful

-His exact words were- "That's why Mr. Laazar. It's because it's _not_ those colours. When you see the colour blue, what do you think of? I think of the sea after a storm...I think of the sky after it rains...I think of tears... It's such a sad colour Mr. Laazar, that's why I wear it. Because that's who I am."

-I asked him if he was sad, he said "You tell me Doc"

-He smiled when he said this

**Relationships**: Very distant with those around him, polite yet never speaks unless prompted

-When I speak with him, he normally does not say anything unless I encourage him or ask him questions

-When I asked him if he had any friends, he seemed hesitant

-When I asked him again, he said he wasn't sure.

-When I asked him what he meant by that, he said-"I can't really be friends with someone who will disappear the next day Mr. Laazar. All the kids there will either get adopted or shipped off to a foster home, they'll all leave."

-I asked him about what he thought about being adopted, he just shook his head and said "They're all made of glass Doc, all of them"

-I asked him what he meant by that and he just smiled at me as if I was the child, "Glass is pretty and all but it doesn't exactly do anything. It just sits there and sparkles, like a little ornament. But one little shove...well, you know what happens."

-I asked him if he was made of glass, he said "No, Doc. I'm not. I might have been before, a long time ago. But not anymore"

-He smiled when he said this

**Hobbies or Talents**: Practically non existent

-I asked him what his favourite sport was and he said he didn't have one, although he would play if anyone asked him

-I asked him if he liked team things or to be by himself he said- "It depends Mr. Laazar, sometimes you need to just run and smile with others, and sometimes you don't."

-I asked him what he meant by that and he said- "It's like this, sometimes you need to pee, and sometimes you need to poop. It just depends on what your body tells you to do. Sometimes I like to play with others, sometimes I don't. It's like that."

-At the subject of books, he becomes very animated

-At my questions of literature, he becomes excited and would sometimes refer me to a book. When I asked him why he liked books so much, he said- "It's another world Doc, what's not to like"

-He smiled when he said this

**Comments:**

-Seyton seems to be a very cynical child, very pessimistic.

-He views himself as a pest or a weed due to the abuse of his mother and the abandonment of his father

-He seems to have a full understanding of his faults and even brings himself to laugh at them, ridiculing himself

-He does not react well with strangers, the one day I was out on an errand and he was told to wait with another Doctor, he threw a fit.

-When I spoke with the matrons of the orphanage, they said that he was an angel, and everyone loved him. despite of this, he does not seem to love himself

-Seyton is very intelligent and mature for his age, yet doesn't like showing it.

-When people see his scars and start to act nicer to him, he is offended and will snap back at them, but politely

-When I asked him why he acts polite to people he doesn't like he said- "If I'm polite , it usually offends them more. It means that I don't care about them at all, not even to yell at them. It means that they're the same as everyone else. That they're not special. Kill them with kindness I say, if they hate me, I'll act as if I love them. Then they'll hate themselves for being such a poopyface. People are stupid like that. Throw them a smile and they'll believe anything. Even if it's fake."

-He smiled when he said this

**We stopped his sessions shortly after.**

.

.

.

**A/N- One of my reviewers asked what age Seyton is compared to Dino or Tsuna and the gang. I would say that he is around the same age as Dino, if not a few years younger. **

**And on the subject of romance, they asked if it was going to be boyxboy since most of the KHR cast is male.**

**I dont know as of yet, since I'm not even sure if I want to add romance to the story or not. So I cant answer that. But if I do, I am open to boyxboy relationships with Seyton.**

**Thanks to everyone who followed, favourited or reviewed.**

**Lots of love to my readers.**

**XD**


	6. Chapter 6- The Blonde Angel

**Chapter 6- The Blonde Angel**

.

.

.

"_Are you really leaving...?" a voice rang out, sadness ringing throughout. "Are you really leaving us...? Please don't go...!" A man pleaded, arms outstretched towards the little boy in blue. "Not after all this time, not after the hell we've been through."_

_The little boy in blue turned and paused to look at the man's face, then at the face of his followers. _

_The faces of those who followed him all those years, all those treacherous years._

_The ones who followed him through the blood, flames and broken bodies._

_The ones who followed him through the dark, trusting him to lead them to salvation._

_Through Hell._

"_I'm sorry everyone..." The little boy in blue said, voice tinged with regret. "I have to, don't you see? I have to..."_

_Cries of denial rang out, calling, pleading._

"_Don't leave us!"_

"_Please don't go!"_

_Voices of the damned filled the air, asking for their one friend, their one saviour, to stay._

_But their voices were ignored._

_Family came first after all._

_The little boy in blue left._

_And the damned cried, cried because their hell just grew a little worse._

.

.

.

'_I am a-fucking-mazing_.' Caleb thought proudly.

He was currently staring at a little girl with soft blonde ringlets. Little golden curls trailed down the doll like figure and laid delicately over thin shoulders and small back. The dress she wore practically covered her from head to toe. Every piece of skin was covered save the face and her small hands, which too would be covered in a pair of white gloves. A white thin ribbon was tied around her neck and matched the assortment of frilly lace that decorated her body. The dress itself as a wonderful sapphire hue, that seemed to remind Caleb of the night sky. An even darker blue, closer to black really, coloured sash was tied at her waist, making her look even more petite and delicate. Like a doll.

Of course, all this was ruined by the fierce looking scowl on the little lady's face, which ruined the doll like image.

"Stop scowling Seyton, you need to smile for this to work." Caleb admonished, feeling secretly smug at the face the little cross dresser gave him.

"Shut up Caleb, you look like a tranny," Seyton sneered, while tugging on one curl. He didn't like the blonde hair; it looked too much like Caleb's. He looked in the mirror, scanning himself from head to toe. It was odd, seeing himself like this. If it weren't for the dark coal eyes that stared back through the glass pane he would have been fooled, it was a rather amazing transformation.

Caleb, on the other hand...

Didn't really change all that much.

His hair was already pretty long to begin with, stopping short at his neck and a little over his ears. He had styled it to the side in a stylish bob, unlike his usual hairstyle where he just slicked it back with a hell ton of gel. Small diamond earrings hung from his ears, sparkling whenever they hit the light. Caleb was wearing a low cut black evening dress that had a daring split at the side that reached all the way to his hip.

How he pulled it off baffled Seyton, but there he was, with legs that looked like they belonged on a swimsuit model, not on a mafia boss. With the help of jelly filled sacs and some synthetic skin, Caleb was rocking a pair of perky looking C-cups. With a little help of his ever trusting razor, he had gotten rid of any unwanted hair (crying while he did so) and squeezed himself into a tiny looking corset. By the time he was done, he was wheezing and panting like he had run a marathon.

But because he was still a man, his arms looked a little too muscled for a woman, so he took a small fur lined shawl and wrapped it around himself. Searching through a small chest in the corner of the room, he pulled out a pair of long black gloves that reached all the way to his elbows, effectively hiding any scars and or calluses. Next, he pulled out a long black ribbon, similar to what Seyton wore and wrapped it around his neck, creating a makeshift choker to hide his snake tattoo.

The blonde man, turning woman, headed to the large vanity beside the closet and sat down. The next series of movements dizzied Seyton and he watched dazed, as the man who he had come to respect in the past months slowly lost his masculinity. By the time he was finished, his face was one of utter feminine beauty, sparkling blue eyes smiled back at him through the reflection.

Seyton was about to compliment him on his cross dressing skills when evil laughter filled the air.

"I'M A GENIUS! AHAHAHAHA! BOW DOWN TO MY SEXINESS YOU PEASANTS! MHUAHAHAHAHA!" Caleb screeched triumphantly while striking "sexy" poses in the mirror. "Look at me! Oh my god, _Iook_ at me! I'm so fucking hot! I don't know what women are always talking about; this is fucking easy- I mean, look at my ass!"

Guess who just face palmed.

.

.

.

On the way there, Caleb was singing in the limo, raising his voice higher and lower in an attempt to find the perfect pitch. I stared out the window, mindlessly playing with the wig he had painstakingly glued to my head with pins. My scalp hurt and the dress itched, although I was enjoying the slight breeze around my legs. That, I suppose, was a plus.

As I mused about the ups and downs of cross dressing, the limo had come to a stop, making Caleb stop his abhorrent shrieking. When I looked over, he gave a sly look and spoke. But as his lips moved, it wasn't the smooth baritone I was used to, but a light soprano, as he spoke, the words seemed to ring in the air. Like little bells, his every word bounced lightly inside my head and I blinked confused.

"What...?" I said, a little dizzy. I heard him chuckle, but the sound was wrong. It sounded more like a giggle, one of a lady.

"Oppsie, that's probably the illusion that's confusing you Seyton. It makes my voice seem more attractive to males, although it doesn't have that much of an effect on you since you haven't hit puberty yet. You should be feeling a little dizzy, yes?" he said with a coy smile on his lips.

"An illusion?" I asked, shaking my head to get rid of the spinning. "How..."

"Hmmm, it's the ribbon, it's infused with mist flames and it lets me change the sound of voice, if not slightly. You're wearing one too." Caleb said while touching the black choker on his neck lightly. "I'll explain the rest later, let's go."

The door opened, and Caleb stepped out smoothly, his every move like silk. I stepped out soon after, accepting the help of our driver, although my movements were clumsier. We walked slowly to the entrance of the large mansion, passing other party goers who seemed to follow Caleb with their eyes, raking them down his figure. I smiled smugly; no doubt he would be bombarded with invitations later tonight in an attempt "to get to know him better". And of course, Caleb would suck it all up (excuse my pun) and enjoy the attention like crazy.

When we reached the entrance of the mansion, there stood two muscled looking men, each in black suits and dark tinted sunglasses. The bulges in their pockets were undoubtedly weapons. As Caleb approached them, he slowly slipped one hand into the front of his dress and pulled out two envelopes, those were our invitations. The guards didn't even blink when Caleb fluttered his eyelashes and slowly handed them over with a slight smile.

"Our invitations?" Caleb said, voice dripping with honey. That illusion or whatever that he was using was seriously messing with my mind, and from what I can tell, others too. At the sound of his voice, or her voice, I should say. Men and women turned to look at Caleb with eyes filled with hunger. I glared; they should not be looking at him like that!

I huffed as the guards quickly scanned the invitations over through their sunglasses and read aloud, "Miss Orabella Vigilanza and Miss Gloria Vigilanza, you may enter. Welcome."

Caleb, or "Orabella", nodded at the two men and smiled in thanks before taking my hand in "hers" and led us inside.

We walked through a long hallway, which was painstakingly decorated with flowers of every colour. It was a sight to behold, even though it was a little too girly for my taste, it was very pretty. Cale-_Orabella_, tugged me along to a large ballroom, with an enormous ceiling and ribbons cascading down the rafters like waterfalls. Huge chandeliers and spotlights lit the room and bounced off every shiny surface effectively blinding me. Orabella smiled at me once more before bending down to whisper in my ear.

"Alright Gloria, I'm going to meet with the client now, don't talk to strangers okay? If you do, be polite and try to keep it short. We'll leave after I close the deal." The blonde haired vixen whispered into my ear, and I nodded in consent. As soon as she moved to find the client, I was already halfway to the buffet table, aiming for the desserts.

There was a piece of chocolate cake sitting there, and it was calling for me. I could feel it.

"_Come to me Seyton, Come...Come taste my sweet chocolaty essence."_

I'm coming oh sweet chocolaty heaven, don't worry, you'll be sitting safely in my stomach soon enough. But as I neared the dessert table (I was a measly ten steps away, ten steps!) I was intercepted and bumped into another suit clad figure.

.

.

.

**-Mystery POV- (can you guess who this is?)**

I was standing beside father, listening to him drone on and on as he conversed with the other guests. I stood there smiling nervously whenever one would turn to look at me, congratulating me on my birthday.

"What a fine young man you are, look at you, all grown up now. Do you think-"

"How's the birthday boy? See any ladies you like yet? You know, my daughter is around you age..."

"Oh! Darling, this party is divine! The decorations are merely lovely-"

I was getting tired of the attention and wanted to hide under the table somewhere, desperately, but alas, I couldn't. One of the male guests father was talking to inhaled sharply, and then whistled admirably as if praising a good piece of art.

"My, who invited that lovely lady?" He said voice deep, while sweeping his eyes up and down. I turned to look at what all the fuss was about and felt my face colour. As the rest of the guests, both male and female, discussed the newcomer with appreciative glances, I couldn't help but agree.

She was beautiful.

"Look at her hair, such a pretty colour" One of the women said, with a slight tinge of jealousy in her voice.

Pretty didn't cut it, she was magnificent.

"Never mind her hair Diana, look at that body!" A man said, grin wide with excitement. "Mmmmm, look at those legs..."

That imbecile! How dare he look at her with such lewd eyes! She was a picture of perfection! Not some disgusting woman who he could stare at! How dare he!?

"Sigh, what I wouldn't do to look like that..." A woman sighed, one hand on her cheek dreamily.

Tch, of course you wish you could look like that. You're not even close to her level of beauty; the blonde at the doorway was a stunning, stunning angel.

Father looked over also and raised his eyebrows slightly before smirking down at me.

"Like what you see son? Why don't you go over there and introduce yourself?" I shook my head quickly, face reddening even more.

"I couldn't..." I said shyly, looking down before stealing another glance at her. There was no way I could talk to her. I'd probably trip or something and make a fool of myself. She would laugh and think I was a fool. There was no way I was embarrassing myself in front of such a gorgeous girl. No way.

"Stop being such a wimp idiota!" A squeaky voice rang out, I looked down to see my torturer- I mean tutor- look up at me with a small smirk on his lips. I frowned and started to protest.

"I'm not-"But before I could even finish my sentence, he had already kicked me across the room, making me crash into someone.

"Owwwwww... that hurt Reborn~" I whined while rubbing my head, the impact had propelled me backwards, and made me crack my head on the floor. A small white gloved hand was thrust in my face.

"Oh, are you okay?" a voice said, melodic and soothing like a lullaby. I accepted the hand as it pulled me up and I started to dust myself off.

"Ah, thank you, I-"When I was thanking my saviour, I made the mistake of looking up. My face lit up in flames and I felt my whole body flush a crimson red.

"Uh-I-I-I-"I stuttered, unable to get a proper sentence across.

She looked at me in confusion, tilting her head to the side slightly, making her curls bounce. I flushed even more. She was adorable.

"I-My-I- uhm-"

She smiled at me, and I looked down in embarrassment. Ahhhhh! I don't know what to do!

"Can I have my hand back now?" she giggled while asking me. I looked up in shock and then quickly glanced down at my-our hands, I was still holding her hand! Oh my god!

"S-Sorry!" I stuttered, and then winced at how squeaky my voice sounded. She giggled again and I couldn't help the smile that made its way across my lips.

"What's your name?" She asked, coal black eyes boring into mine. I gulped before taking a deep breath.

"D-Dino, my name is Dino"

.

.

.

**A/N- Orabella means "gold and beautiful" and Gloria is "glory" and Vigilanza means "Vigilance" in Italian.**

**So here's Dino's first meeting with Seyton, although he doesn't know he's a boy. While everyone else was looking at Caleb dressed as "Orabella", he was looking at Seyton as "Gloria" and mistook all those comments for her. I think this is really cute, and really like this chapter. if you do too, or if you dont, leave me a review and tell me why.**

**Thanks to those who followed, favourtied and reviewed, it really makes my day.**

**Lots of love to my readers! ^_^**


	7. Chapter 7- Frome Me to You

**Chapter 7- From Me to You**

.

.

.

"They say that behind every great man, lays an even greater woman."- Unknown

Ohhh...sounds cool...

You know what's even better?

Behind a great man, as in me, there is the Hydra.

Think anyone can beat that?

...

Yeah, I didn't think so.

.

.

.

'_Did I just giggle?' _I thought confused_, 'that was supposed to be a laugh..."_

I was currently sitting next to Dino and stuffing myself with cake. When I said I wanted some dessert, he was more than happy to grab me a seat and then proceeded to pile various sweets and confections on a plate for me.

What a nice guy.

As I chewed the chocolate cake he so graciously got me (yummmmm...) I saw Dino twiddling his thumbs away beside me. His face was oddly flushed. Did he feel sick? I know that when Caleb gets sick (he's a nightmare), he gets really red in the face. I stared at him, trying to find any signs of illness.

Seconds passed.

Oh no, now he's getting even redder! Oh God! He looked like a tomato!

"Dino, are you okay? You're all red!" I asked worriedly while putting down my plate. If it was even possible, he darkened in colour even more. The red flush on his cheeks creeped down his face passing his neck and tinted his ears crimson.

"I-I'm okay "He said abruptly, avoiding my gaze.

Poor guy, he was probably dying or something and here I was, forcing him to talk to me. When he had bumped into me earlier, I thought it was a lucky turn of events. If it looked like we were having a riveting conversation, adults wouldn't bother us. In other words, they wouldn't bother _me_. My eyebrows creased in worry, Caleb still hadn't showed up yet, which means that the deal was still being discussed.

"Are you sure?" I asked again, eyes scanning the room for the blonde tranny I arrived with. "Do you need me to go get someone?" I hope he didn't, I was supposed to lie low. And having to escort a sick person, a sick child at that, wouldn't exactly being laying low.

Why I even came in the first place was a mystery to me. Caleb said that it would be good for me to observe and learn the art of subterfuge. Why I needed to know what evening wear was, and which colours made my eyes pop baffled me. Wasn't the Hydra a mafia family? Why would I need to know how to put on makeup? Honestly, I just think Caleb wanted to see me in a dress.

That bastard.

If you were to look through Caleb's phone (that he gleefully squeezed in between his "breasts" in his bra) there were probably a couple dozen photos of me dressed in this atrocity, if not more.

"NO!" Dino exclaimed fiercely, arms in the air in denial. "I-I mean, no. I'm okay, you don't have to go...get someone" he explained quickly, cheeks still slighted tinged with blush.

"Okay..." I said slowly, unsure about his reaction. Maybe he was afraid he was going to faint, and didn't want to be alone? He looked down at his hands again and his hair swept across his face.

"Um...So how old are you?" He asked, tugging at the hem of his pants. I stared at him, that was a good question. How old was I again? At my silence, he started to get flustered.

"Ah! I'm sorry! I forgot! Father said that it was rude to ask for a woman's age! Sorry!" Dino apologized, looking extremely flustered.

I melted a little bit; poor kid looked like he just dropped his ice-cream. (And I would know, because I've done that before and Caleb took a photo, and he had the same expression I was wearing)

"It's okay." I replied while smiling, "I'm almost nine" Or I think I'm almost nine. Never did figure out my age, I just changed it when I felt like it. Some days I was eight years old, some days I was ten. One time, when I was feeling extra mature, I bumped my age up to twenty two, because that seemed like a pretty solid number. It was a good day, although no one was really convinced.

"Oh really? I'm eleven-I mean twelve. I'm twelve." He blushed shyly at his mistake. "It's my birthday and I'm still not used to it"

"So you're the birthday boy!" I ooh'ed in understanding, no wonder he looked so familiar. Caleb had shown me a list of people on the way here with pictures. It was a list of people of who NOT to talk to.

Dino was number one on that list.

"Well, Happy Birthday!" I laughed nervously, noting the bright smile that lit up on his face.

"Thanks! " He said happily. At this point, I saw a black clothed figure sashaying their way towards us over Dino's shoulder. It was Caleb.

"Orabella!" I cried out in relief, hurrying to meet his side. He quickly brought me into a hug that looked like a causal act of affection, when he was really checking me for injuries. He-she smile sharply at me before looking at Dino.

"Happy Birthday young Cavallone." Caleb said with a slight bow of his head, earrings sparkling in the spotlights. As Dino quickly said a thank you, he didn't see when Caleb sharply jabbed me in the stomach. Hell, I didn't even see it and I was right beside him. I sure felt it though.

"Ughhh..." I groaned in pain, arms going to my stomach. My eyes started to water with slight pain. Dino's head immediately shot up and pinned me with a worried glance.

"Oh no, are you okay? You didn't forget to take your medicine, did you?" Caleb said in a faux concerned voice. "You know you're not supposed to overexert yourself, especially right after you had your surgery." I glared at him through my hair.

"What surger-AGH!" He had jabbed me again, this time a little sharper. His hand had blurred in the air, making a whooshing sound that was exclusive to my ears only.

"Gloria!" Dino yelled in panic, hurrying to my side. I smiled weakly at him to reassure him that I wasn't dying (although I felt like it) and then turned to pin Caleb in a frosty glare. I gave him a face that said "what the fuck". The blonde just stared back, lips twitching slightly at the corners, although his expression still looked concerned.

"I told you to take your medicine at home! Geez, now look at you." He said in a reprimanding tone. Bastard was probably enjoying this.

"Bullshit- you-"He slammed a high heeled foot down on mine and I slumped down in pain.

"Oh no! Gloria!" Caleb, or "Orabella" exclaimed loudly, effectively attracting the attention of the surrounding party goers. "Are you okay? We should go home if you aren't feeling good" Or in other words, "the deal is done, let's book it before we get caught". Bitch, stop pretending you're worried when you're the one who put me in this state.

"T-That sounds good" I sputtered out in between coughs, still clutching my stomach.

"Why don't you rest here?" A squeaky voice said, I looked over to see a child in a black fedora (was that a lizard I see? Or did all those head injuries finally catch up to me?) and suit walk towards us. Round curly side burns bounced at his every step. A large yellow pacifier hung from his neck, emitting a faint glow. Caleb stiffened beside me and I knew at once, that this kid was trouble.

"Orabella" smiled, this time looking reserved and humble. She bowed her head in acknowledgement and curtsied slightly, as if in the presence of royalty. Maybe he was, I didn't know.

"We should be going, her body isn't up to par yet" Caleb explained politely, smile growing tight.

"We have doctors here, and I'm sure they would be more than happy to take a look at her for you." The little kid said, eyes glinting in intelligence. Something was totally off about him; maybe it was the way he spoke. I'm pretty sure toddlers aren't supposed to be able to speak like that.

At his comment, we both froze in place.

If a doctor were to examine me, they'd realize I was a boy and see all the scars on my body. Then they would question why I was dressed as a girl, and be suspicious of Caleb. If they searched him, they would discover he was a guy too. They would see his tattoo. They would realize he's a Hydra.

Caleb's voice from this morning rang in my head.

"_They don't welcome our kind there."_

What did he mean by that? Would they kill him if they found out Caleb was a Hydra? Would they kill me for being _with_ a Hydra? Oh God, I feel like I'm going to puke. My face coloured green in nausea and I saw Dino's eyes widen.

"I'm gonna puke" I wheezed out while trying to hold the contents of my stomach down. Hell was I going to surrender all the treats I had stomached earlier! I had already eaten them! They were in my stomach! They were mine!

"Guk..." I groaned once more, hanging off of Caleb's side.

"Gloria!"Dino said in worry, clutching my hand in his. The little boy with the lizard was still staring at us, eyes calculating. "Let's get you to a doctor! Come on!" Dino urged while tugging at my arm, leading me to another room. I struggled, trying to stay with Caleb. Said cross dresser looked concerned, and this time I could tell it was real. I smirked into his stomach and wrapped my arms around his corseted waist; he was probably feeling pretty guilty.

"Gloria? Come on! We have to get you checked out!" Dino said in worry, one hand swiping the air. I peeked at him with one eye; face still smashed up against Caleb's stomach, my hand still in the clumsy blondes grasp. Caleb was still stiff, he was probably thinking of a way to get out of here without it looking too suspicious.

"No..." I said, looking Dino in the eyes. "I don't want to." Dino looked at me in shock.

"What do you mean you don't want to?! You almost fainted earlier! Miss Vigilanza said that you didn't take your medicine! For all you know, you could be dying right now! We have to go get a doctor!" Dino exclaimed, words flowing quickly out of his mouth. His hand sweaty with nerves and he squeezed mine in emphasis.

"But Dino..." I whimpered, forcing my eyes to water (learned this trick in the orphanage, was quite useful in gaining an extra dessert). "I'm already..." I chocked in a sob and turned my face into Caleb's hold again. Smiling into the folds of fabric, it's been a while since I've played this card. I felt Caleb relax, arms going around me. He picked me up and held me close to his chest as I buried my face into his neck. His fake breasts obstructed my hold on him, it felt weird.

"Mr. Cavallone... I'm afraid seeing a doctor wouldn't do much good at this point..." Caleb said in a convincing sad tone. His eyes watered and a few tears escaped, making a small trail down his face.

Ahhhh, he got it.

"Gloria here has seen hundreds of doctors...and I don't think another will do any good." Caleb said, voice full of emotion. Damn this man is good. Why the hell was he in a mafia family when he could act like this? Maybe the art of subterfuge was a little more interesting than I had originally thought.

"W-What do you mean?" Dino asked, his hands fisted at his sides.

I turned to look at him, blonde ringlets bouncing at my every movement. At this point we had gathered a crowd, and many were watching the young birthday boy speak with to the crying guests, meaning Caleb and I.

"Dino...you know when you asked me my birthday?" I said, my voice only slightly higher than a whisper.

"Yeah?" Dino said sadly. "You said you were almost nine..." I nodded.

"Almost nine..." I repeated in a bitter voice, gloved hands fisting the front of my dress. "I'm lucky to have even gotten this far."

He looked up at me in shock, tears already springing to his eyes. Oh nooooo, poor guy. I couldn't help this, we really needed to get out of here before they figured out Caleb was a Hydra. But Dino looked so heartbroken; his new found friend had just announced that she was dying.

"What's wrong with her?" The little boy said, tilting his fedora back. Caleb sniffed slightly and shot a watery gaze downwards.

"Gloria has always had a sick constitution. She was born premature and had to be held in the ICU for almost a year. Because she was born early, her lungs hadn't fully developed and she couldn't breathe. After five corrective surgeries, they finally patched her up. Not fully, but enough where she could breathe properly without an oxygen tank. We figured we could deal with it, we figured she would just have a weak body, and that would be that. But... last month, the doctor said that they had spotted something irregular in the check up. It was her heart... her heart was failing... It _is_ failing... The doctor predicted that she wouldn't make it past twenty."

"WHAT! " Dino said in horror. "What about heart transplants! Can't they do heart transplants?!"

Caleb shook his head, "At this point, even if she did, there's only a 5% survival rate because of her condition. I'm not risking that."

"Then what's keeping her alive now?" The little boy said in curiosity.

"The surgery I mentioned before was to implant an ICD, an implantable cardioverter defibrillator. It shocks her heart into beating whenever it threatens stops. A weak heart plus a weak body doesn't exactly benefit you when you enter a high risk surgery. At this point, we're just praying she makes it to twenty like the doctors said."

To speed things up, I started to cough again. This time, I really went at it, doing my best to make it sound as painful as possible. At the end of my "fit", the other guests had tears in their eyes also, the women dabbed away at their eyes and men would look away blinking rapidly.

"Gloria..." Dino whimpered.

Oh god damn it, it was the boy's birthday and I just told him I was dying.

Fuck it all, I can't do this.

"Don't look so sad Dino! I'm not dead just yet! Look alive, it's your birthday!" I said cheerfully, smiling at him. He looked up at me, his nose running slightly. He shook his head at me.

I poked Caleb in the side and he let me down, I walked over to Dino and took his hand in mine again.

"Now here, I never did give you a birthday present did I?" I asked, enjoying the flush that crept up his face once again.

Ahhh, now I know what it is, the boy wasn't sick at all.

He had a crush...on me.

I mentally groaned, I just told the birthday boy that his crush is dying. Alright, way to make friends Seyton. I sighed, watching his hands tighten around mine. Okay, man up Seyton, you can do this. It's not like you'll ever see him again after this. He'll never know you're a guy, he'll never know this was you. Hell, he would probably think "Gloria" was dead by the end of the year. I might as well give him a good last memory.

You can do this, I can do this.

Phew, here goes nothing.

I closed my eyes and leaned in, hair brushing up against his.

.

.

.

I gave him a kiss...on the cheek.

From the oohhing and ahhing of the crowd around us, it was safe to say that the birthday boy in question was quite happily blushing.

I pulled back and was rewarded with a red tomato face, steam practically coming out of his ears.

"What-I-I-I" He stammered out, looking dizzy and disorientated.

I smiled back warmly.

"Happy Birthday Dino."

.

.

.

**A/N- Wooow, so many people like Dino. I wasn't expecting such a reaction. I guess people ship them now...**

**Well, this chapter was kinda hard to write, since there was too many different ways this could've ended. I really couldnt sleep last night because all those plot ideas just came up and distracted me from sleeping. And when I did eventually get to sleep, I ended up dreaming about "Little Boy Blue". There was Seyton, that little shit, dressed in his blue dress and blonde wig. He gave me the dirtiest look ever and crossed his arms and said.**

**"What the fuck did you do to me" **

**When I woke up, I laughed so hard, it wasnt even funny.**

**Well, thanks to those who followed, favourtied and reviewed! Makes my day.**

**Lots of love to my readers! XD**


End file.
